Good morning fitfam! It’s the beginning of the year and we all know what that means – New Year’s Resolutions! Whether you’re new to fitness or you’re a pro, we can all run into the same problem – a less than fabulous gym. You could be saving money on a gym membership or using a hotel gym on vacation, but a limited gym can seriously rain on your parade. Here are my tips for making the best of a limited gym workout…

Limited Gym, No Problem

Don’t fret when you walk into a small gym and see half of the equipment you use isn’t there. These tips will guarantee you have a fab workout!

1. Know what you’re working with

Get the lay of the land before you start your workout. Is there a squat rack? Free weights? Is there enough room for burpees? How heavy of dumbbells they have? Make sure you know what you have to use so you can plan your workout accordingly.

2. Bring in extra equipment if you have it

Maybe you’re on vacation or traveling for work and stuffed a resistance band in your suitcase. Bring it into the hotel gym! Have a loop-resistance band? Bring it into your apartment gym! If you have things that are going to make your limited gym workout better – utilize them!

3. Don’t underestimate the power of body-weight exercises

Squats, pushups, tricep dips, jump lunges – all of these things are great exercises that are going to engage your muscles! Here are a few of my favorite body weight exercises: tricep dips on a bench, jump squats, squat pulses, walking lunges, diamond pushups, incline bench pushups, and donkey kicks.

4. Get creative

Don’t get discouraged if it’s leg day and they don’t have a squat rack. Brainstorm alternates to replace your go-to exercises. Try holding dumbbells at your side while squatting. Or maybe squat while holding a plate above your head. There are always numerous ways you can tweak one exercise. Need inspiration or a place to start? Go to Instagram and watch fitness videos! Or Google alternates to exercises. The possibilities are endless…

5. Plan ahead

Make a plan of attack for your workout. If you get in the gym and don’t have a plan, the lack of familiarity can throw you off and make you feel lost. A plan is a great way to prepare for the gym not having the right equipment. If you say you need to do bicep curls, you can now use that exercise as a starting point and find alternative equipment to use if they don’t have dumbbells. (PRO TIP: cable bicep curls are great and bicep curls with a resistance band will work your muscles more than you think!)

I hope these tips help you make the most out of your limited gym workout! Check out my YouTube channel to see my glute workout in a limited gym scenario! Have a great day!